Hound of Ylisse
by Drakefire
Summary: Cu Chulainn. The Hound of Ulster. Irish Child of Light. Hero. These are a few of the many titles attributed to Cu, a man who has spent his life on the field of battle. Now, that field calls once again, landing the Irish Hound in a world he knows nothing about, with no way back. With no Holy Grail to fight for, how will Cu Chulainn use is second lot at life?
1. Chapter 1

This is an idea I've been sitting on for quite some time. After looking at most of the stories on fanfiction, most of which involve Shirou being sent to the FE universe or FE characters being summoned as servants, I wanted to try something else, and given how much of a fan of Cu I am, I decided to have a slightly nerfed Cu sent to the Fire Emblem universe, during Awakening.

I hope you all enjoy.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Southtown burned. The sudden attack from Plagian bandits had overrun the small defense force, putting the small settlement to the torch, taking whatever wasn't nailed down for themselves.

Well, all but one defender, at any rate.

"Gae Bolg!" in an instant, a crimson spear lashed outwards, puncturing straight into his opponent's heart. He would be quite frank. He had no idea where he was, but still, despite the fact they had no reason to trust him, these villagers had taken him in. They showed him compassion, when he could have been there to harm him.

Let it be said that the Hound of Ultstar was nothing but loyal. He was more than willing to defeat the entire force alone, if need be. It wouldn't be the first time. The blue haired Irish demigod sprinted off, in search of his next target.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Meanwhile, Cu Chulainn wasn't the only hero fighting that day. A small group of Shepherds, consisting of Chrom and Lissa, brother and sister to the current Exalt, Frederick, their retainer, and Robin, a man who they had found unconscious and without his memory, were making their way towards the village center.

So far, every little had stood in their way. Abnormally little, with more than a few Plagian corpses down in the dirt. The wound was typically quite consistent, a single puncture wound through the heart. Clearly, there was an individual of extreme precision defending the villagers. He would remain on guard. One unknown individual might be a coincidence, but two certainly wasn't.

It didn't take them long to arrive in the village center. Much of it was on fire, thatch roofs and wood building only creating more fuel for the blaze. Near the chapel, one of the bandits, likely the leader, had his axe raised high, preparing to swing it down on a girl's skull. Chrom gritted his teeth. There was no way they could make it time. Fortunately, they didn't have to.

"Gae Bolg!" it was a blur of red and blue. One moment, the bandit swung down for a decapitating strike, the next, a crimson spear sprouted from his chest, held by a man wearing a skintight blue leather suit. They all got a better look at the man as the bandit fell, dead. His eyes stood out the most, colored red, the same color of blood, almost matching his spear. Grey lines ran up and down the suit, mostly converging around joints, with short blue hair on the top of his head, while the back was kept as a pony tail.

"I take it you're against them?" the man asked, placing the long spear over his shoulders, leaving a hand to dangle aimlessly while the other propet it up. It was almost carefree, but the warrior maintained a guarded stance. It was bait. Chrom simply nodded. There would be time for questions later.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The battle was swift. With their leader dead, alongside most of their brethren, many tried to flee, only to be captured by angry villagers, and whoever tried to stand against the combined might of the Irish Child of Light and the Shepards was either dead or added to the captives.

"I'll admit, that was quite an impressive display from all four of you," Cu grinned, having placed his spear on his back. Despite the conflict, he seemed loose, almost friendly in his smile.

"Lucky for the town, we were close by," Lissa also smiled, at a victory well earned and lives saved. Cu merely chuckled at the young girl's excitedness.

"I'd like to thank you for your help, stranger," Chrom turned his attention to the fellow bluenette for the time being. Robin certainly proven that he wasn't a helpless victim, and the Shepherds could always use a man of his talents.

"We've fought together as brothers in arms. That hardly makes us strangers, even if we don't know each other's names," Cu chuckled, still smiling in a friendly manor. "Besides, what type of rude guest would I be if I let my hosts be slaughtered in their homes."

"Cu Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster, at your service," the blue haired man bowed, much more friendly than one might expect, rather than a formal bow amongst the court. Chrom almost frowned. His name was odd, most certainly foreign, though he could not place its origin, almost as much so as his title. He used hound, not dog, and while calling someone a dog would most likely considered an insult, he carried the title of hound with pride. But what type of hound? A war hound? A hunting hound? Or maybe was he a guard hound? Regardless of which, it was clear he was belonged to an unknown kingdom named Ulster.

"Chrom, brother of the current Exalt," he held out his hand to the fellow bluenette, shaking his hand. Cu had a strong grip, meeting the prince halfway. "I've never heard of this Ulster before."

"And I've never heard of Ylissie before," Cu said, taking Chrom and Frederick slightly off guard. The knight actually frowned a bit. One could be summed up as just chance, but two, much less so. Cu chuckled, only amused by the knight's distrust. "Hey, I have no idea how I ended up here. If you wish, I can tell you just about everything else."

"So we know have two people who can't explain where they came from," Frederick stated sternly, almost like a parent about to scold a child.

"I understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick, and I cannot explain why only some knowledge has returned to me," Robin responded, his voice full of honesty. "But please, believe me, I have shared all that I know."

"You both fought to save Ylissean lives. My heart says that's enough," Chrom said, looking at both fighters. Cu's skill was more than impressive, and Robin's strategic mind would be foolish to pass up.

"And what of your mind, milord? Do you not heed it's concuel as well?" Frederick asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone of Robin's talents and Cu's skill. We've briganders and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil," Chrom said, "Would you really have us lose such an able tactician and fighter?"

"So how about it? Will you both join us?" Chrom asked, looking at the two men.

"I would be honored" Robin was the first to respond. In a sense, it would be unsurprising. Robin really had nowhere else to go. For Cu, it wasn't that simple.

This was a second chance. A redo on life. He had died young, his blazing legend leading to his life being snuffed out, just as prophecy had stated. He wasn't on Earth, and he certainly wasn't a servant. His life was his own. No former loyalties, no ties, just his own desires.

He could live the long life that he didn't get to have in his past life. But that was simply boring! He was the one that had ultimately chosen his path. Cu would much rather have a second blazing legend and a second early death, then have a boring life.

"Of course!" Cu grinned. It was good to be in the presence of heroes once again.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The remainder of the day was spent dousing the flames, saving whatever buildings were left standing. Cu had to smile at that. His first impression of Chrom was that he was caring, yet stern. Ylissie had a good future king on it's hands, if this continued. He also played the role of older brother quite well, much to that sister's embarrassment.

He wasn't entirely sure what to think about Lissa. As a warrior, he would be a fool not to respect those who practiced the healing arts, but that staff being the only line of defense she had made him feel uneasy. No means of defense made her an easy target, and an ideal one to boot. He wouldn't be opposed to training, but he doubted the slim girl had the muscle for his brand of combat. Runic magic seemed out, if the spell tome hanging from Robin's waste was any indication. Personality wise, she seemed to be a happy soul.

Next was Robin. Out of all of his newfound companions, he was the one Cu was the least certain about. It seemed just all to cowenceadental. An amensic with his level of skill? With a blade or even a spell, he might buy something wasn't off. Muscles had a harder time forgetting than the mind, and instinct could only be dulled, not completely destroyed. But tactics? That was different beast all together. It was a testament to Chrom's character to take him in without a second thought.

Last was Frederick. The blue armored knight was diligent in his duty, all the while keeping an eye on both Robin and Cu. The Hound of Ulster nearly laughed at that. Loyal and dedicated to his work, even to the point to extreme. Still, Chrom was lucky to have him. Loyalty and caution were good traits.

"Did you notice milord?" Frederick finally spoke, as the sun had begun to drop lower in the sky. "The brigands spoke with a Plegain accent." Cu did notice the difference in the speech, but hadn't thought much of it. A foreign power would make sense.

"Plegain? What's that?" Robin asked, driving home his lack of memory. Cu was likewise curious though.

"Plegea is Ylisse's westerly neighbor. They send small bands into our territory, hoping to instigate a war," Chrom fists were clenched in anger, understandably so. Cu was likewise annoyed, though for different reasons. On one hand Plegea was already proving itself cowardly, sending groups that actually hadn't been commanded. He used hadn't loosely, of course.

If you wanted to attack someone, just do it. There was no need to step around the issue. Then there would be Ylisse's leader. Cu was aware of exactly what war could bring, but certainly doing nothing when attacked was worse. As much as these attackers were cowardly, even Cu knew they served a purpose. Each village raised and pillaged was a loss of food, life, and economy.

If Ylisse didn't do something, then it would would be incapable of defending itself when war finally came. Because that's what would have happened.

"And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer!" Lisa almost shouted, a look of grief written on her face. "Totally innocent, and totally helpless."

"They do have us, milady: Shepherds to protect the sheep," Frederick said, remaining stern, "Do not be swept up in your anger. It will cloud your judgement." Cu almost had a bit of a laugh at the reason they called themselves Shepherds, but it fit. Protectors, that was exactly what they were.

"I know, I know," Lisa responded similarly to a child being scolded by their parent might. "Don't worry, I'll get used to all this."

"Milord, please! You must stay the night!" one of the nearby villagers spoke up, approaching with a deep bow. "We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast!"

Cu quite liked that idea. For those of simple means, their hospitality was vast in size. He certainly wouldn't mind spending one more night.

"A most generous offer, sir, and no doubt your hospitality would be grand, but I'm afraid we must hurry back to Ylisstol," Frederick quickly shot the idea down, much to Cu's own disappointment, and Lissa's as well, seeing that the young lady was already listing out what she'd want to eat.

"Wait, what? We're not staying?" Lissa question, almost whining. "But Frederick, it's nearly dark!" She was right. Evening was already swift on the approach, with the sun getting lower in the heavens.

"When night falls, we'll camp. Eat off the land, make our bed with twigs and the like," Frederick said with a slight smile. "I believe you mentioned 'getting used to this'." Cu almost laughed. Hunting wasn't fishing, but it would do. He wondered if there were any Chimera around. Dangerous due to how territorial and aggressive they were, but their meat was delicious.

"Federick? Sometimes, I hate you," Lissa pouted as her own words were turned against her. Cu actually laughed at that, before shrugging.

"You had me at eating off the land," the blue haired spear wielder grinned. "It's been all to long since I've had to do that."

"You make it sound like you're looking forward to this," Chrom stated, eyebrow raised somewhat. "You don't strike me as one who would smile when bringing down the axe." Frederick's indigent snort made it sound like he was usually the one being targeted by that remark.

"Life it full of many things that can make one happy. It just tends that the simplest ones are the best ones," Cu smiled, looking back at his life. While things could have gone differently, he couldn't say he truly regretted what happened.

"Milord remains as amusing as ever. Now then, shall we be going?" Frederick said, seeming a little bit annoyed by their antics.

"All right all right," Chrom said, turning to face the two newest members of the Shepherds. "Ready to go? The capital isn't far." Robin nodded, for all he knew he had was the clothes on his back and his keen mind. Cu nodded, for all he needed was the spear on his back.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Evening had finally gone, leaving nothing but the moon and the stars in the sky. Each bathed the forest in twinkling light. Cu was taking note of what he could see through the trees, to no avail. Finally, there march came to an end.

"I told you, it's getting dark already! Ech! And now the bugs are out!" Lissa complained, as Cu snatched one of the small flying insects out the air. Bugs were only a minor annoyance, but lack of a Chimera attacks meant he would be hunting something else tonight.

"Noisy, disgusting bugs that buzz around and crawl all over and bite you when," Lissa didn't finish the rest of the sentience, as an insect took her rant as an invitation to fly on into her mouth.

"Aw, come on now, Lissa. Hardship builds character," Chrom gently teased, though he meant every word. "Want to help me gather firewood?" His question had fallen on deaf ears, as Lissa continued her struggle to remove the insect from her throat.

"I think I swallowed it," she said, face scrunched up in disgust. "I'll skip on the firewood, thanks. I think I've built quite enough character for one day!" Cu nearly had to laugh. Given the time, deer wouldn't be an easy option. He'd have to settle for some tougher and less tender game.

"We should think about food. I don't know about you, but I'm starving!" Robin said, as if to read Cu's mind. His stomach argeed, rumbling slightly.

"I'll handle hunting," Cu volunteered without any hesitation. It was time to see what type of game animals this world had. Hopefully, it was a worthy challenge.

"Very well, then. I suppose I will see if there are any safe nuts or berries around," Frederick said, seeming a bit relieved that hunting was out of the question for him. "Now, who wants to clear the campsite?" At that point, only Robin and Lissa were left to do much of anything. Even if Lissa would be doing those things with reluctence.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Fire crackled, slowly eating through wood as it's heat cooked meat, surrounded by a circle of stones, and beyond that, five shepherds. Cu was more than pleased with his bear hunt, even if it didn't put up much of a struggle. The Hound of Ulster had no problem with meat, so long as it didn't come from a dog. He was already digging into his earned meal, with Robin all but inhaling it.

"It's been too long since I last had bear meat. Delicious!" Chrom was equally enjoying his meal, though not ravenously devouring it like the two others. "What's wrong Lissa? Dig in."

"Pass! Gods, couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat?" Lissa complained, crossing her arms. "I mean, come on! Who eats bear? You're meddling with the food chain. Right Robin?" Her question didn't get a response, as the man continued to devour his food at an alarming rate.

"Humans are at the top of the food chain! We can eat just about anything, given we can kill it!" Cu said, mouth slightly full. "Still wish I could have gotten us a chimera though. They make for good eating, provided you cook the meat right."

"Chimera? I've never heard of such a beast," Frederick stated, his face slightly crunched in disgust. It seemed the man had an aversion to what they were eating. So much for 'getting used to it'.

"Nasty monsters. They have three heads, that of a large cat, a goat, and an entire snake for a tail. It's got the body of the cat too, and it can even breath poison," Cu grinned, looking back on the few times he had hunted the beast. "But you have to cook the meat just right. Otherwise, you get the runs."

"You're making it sound like you've had personal experience with that," Chrom said, will Lissa looked on with a look of disgust. Cu merely nodded, digging back into his meal with full force. The leader of the Shepherds sighed, turning to his stubborn sister. "Just eat it Lissa. Meat is meat."

"Since when does meat smell like old boots? Wait, I take that back, boots smell better!" Lissa anguished, staring at the meat as it were poisoned.

"Every experience makes us stronger, milady. Even the ones we don't enjoy," Frederick said still eying the food with a concealed look of disgust.

"Really? Then why don't I see you eating, Frederick?" Lissa fired back, a twinkle in her eye showing that she realized that this was the first time she'd have such an advantage all day.

"Me? Oh, well, … I'm not hungry. I… I had a large lunch! Yes, quite," Frederick stumbled, proving himself to be a terrible, terrible lair. Nobody was believing him either, well, besides Robin, who had yet to even check in to the conversation.

"Yeah right, Frederick!" Lissa retored, making it clear she was going to hold this against him to some degree.

"Look, you're both missing the point," both of them looked at Cu, who decided to finally step in. "The less you two eat, the more there is for us!" The spearman immediately began to dig into another freshly cooked slab of meat.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Ok, that was the first chapter, and me testing the waters. I'm not exactly used to writing characters like the Shepherds or Cu, so I'm sorry if things are out of character or even a bit bland.

But for now, here are Cu's stat growth rates, skills, and homebrewed class.

Cu Chulainn

Starting Class: Spear Fighter

Skill: Master of the Spear (Regardless of class, a unit with this skill can use a spear or lance as if they had rank C in the weapon skill).

Weapons: Gae Bulg, C rank spear (Does not break. For each attack, take skill value divided by six as a percent change to inflict lethality).

Starting stats

Level: 2

HP: 17

Strength: 7

Magic: 2

Skill: 9

Speed: 10

Luck: 2

Defense: 7

Resistance: 5

Movement: 5

Growth Rates

HP: 80%

Strength: 50%

Magic: 40%

Skill: 90%

Speed: 95%

Luck: 10%

Defense: 45%

Resistance: 40%


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, before I begin, I want to get a few things out of the way. For everyone who took the time to review, thank you. There is a bit to much for me go through on a person by person basis, so I'll address a few of the common or important points.

For those of you who informed me of Cu using Gae Bulg repeatedly was out of character, thank you. I'll be sure to keep Gae Bulg's use to worthy opponents. Also note that Cu is much weaker than his pre-servent self at the moment, though he hasn't realized that quite yet. And magic will be implemented in Cu's future class, Celtic Hero.

Also, for the shippers, at this moment, I really don't have anything planned, marriage wise. I do have support conversations planned for quite a few characters, but beyond that, you're going to have to convince me something will work. I mean, Cu doesn't regret his past, but I feel like killing your own kid once would cause some hesitation with starting a new family.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Cu had to admit, he could be quite the heavy sleeper. Sleep was as good as any other form of relaxation, and was beneficial to both the body and the mind. However, in this strange new land, he couldn't quite settle down like he normally would, a problem not added by the fact his instincts were pretty much on high alert. Something wasn't quite right, even if he couldn't put his finger on what.

He was aware that both Chrom and Lissa had left camp merely a minute or so earlier, with the blue haired prince professing to also feeling like something was awry. If something really was wrong, it would be bad if both of them ran around unsupervised. Letting out a silent sigh, Cu pushed himself to his feet, before grabbing his spear. He was tempted to wake the others, both Robin and Frederick would be useful encase their guts were correct.

Ultimately, he decided against such actions. It wouldn't take too long to bring them back. They couldn't have gotten too far ahead, and even if they had, it wasn't like tracking them would prove to be too great of an issue. The path was well traveled, and they hadn't attempted to cover their path. Cu took up a sprinting stance, darting toward, hoping to close the distance before disaster struck.

It took a bit longer than Cu had expected to catch up, actually working up a bit of a sweat, blue ponytail catching on his back. He saw them in a small clearing, the darkness surrounding it being deeper than normal, even with the full moon shining it's silverlight.

"It sure is dark, and quite," Lissa said, a voice Cu could only hear by straining his ears. "Where did the birds go?" Cu took a deep breath composing himself, before stepping into the clearing.

"The only time animals are ever this quiet is when they are hiding from something," Cu said, surprising them both slightly. "I think it's time we heed their advice." Chrom opened his mouth as if to say something, but the ground suddenly began to quake, cutting him off as he tried to keep balanced. Cu dropped low, trying to keep balance as best he could. His eyes widened with shock.

"We should start running. We should start running, now," Cu said, taking a hesitant step back. He had heard of earthquakes before, but he hadn't seen anything like this. Dirt and stone exploded forth from the ground, as if to strike the sky itself.

"Oh, Gods," Chrom's voice was faint with fear and aw. "Run, Run!" he shouted, pushing Lissa into a running start, before swiftly following in suit. Cu wasted no time, falling in behind the pair as the earth began to buckle and crack. Molten stone, the blood of any world, took advantage of the newfound weakness, burst forth, igniting the trees into a blaze. What solid rock remained ejected, flaming stone striking down into the forest, only furthering the raging fire.

Lissa had fallen behind Chrom as the group went around a bend, Cu's eyes scanning the surroundings. He saw Chrom make a jump, as Lissa nearly fell off the ledge in surprise. Cu had no such option. Refined by years of combat training, Cu's instincts screamed danger, and he knew better than to ignore it. He leaped, rolling down to the ground, avoiding death via a fiery ball of rock by seconds.

For now, they appeared to be relatively safe, even as the forest was burning down. Chrom was panting for breath, while Lissa was on her knees, gasping for air. Still, Cu felt uneasy, his eyes shifting around. It wasn't tell Lissa's gasp that alerted him to the display above. Energy crackled and warped, the outpulse of raw, magical energy extinguishing the inferno, turning the world around them to dull colors.

A magic circle stabilized, marked with several ruins, each forgegn to Cu. A mass of crystal appeared in the center, opening like an eye, revealing a deep blue shade. Dark shapes feel from it to the forest floor, limp bodies crashing into the earth. A death blow to any human, but they stood up anyway, each one moving like a poorly controlled puppet. In an instant, Cu's spear rested in his hands.

The stench of rot and corpses filled the air. It didn't take a genus to figure out what they were. Undead. Or, at the very least, something extremely close to such monsters. Chrom's reaction made it clear, these were completely unknown creatures. Thus, it was impossible to consider the idea that they formed naturally, like some undead could. Yet, no spell he was familiar with would cause this much devastation just to summon a few zombies from the sky.

"Lissa, stay behind us," Chrom ordered, hold Falchion in front of him, as undead eyes flash red. At the same moment, both let out a roar, black mist rolling away from their mouths, as if it had been a cold day. Both made their move with swiftness that bellied their original jerky movements. Cu saw Chrom's first strike fail, the blow being enough to spill the guts of any mortal creature. However, Cu stepped back, focusing as his own propionate brought down his axe in an overhand strike. Like crimson lightning, Gae Bulg struck, his two strikes piercing it's arms, destroying muscles and bone reinforced by dark magic. Even more of the black mist seeped from it's wounds.

With both limbs destroyed and nearly immobile, the zombie stuck out with it's teeth, attempting to puncture Cu's neck. The Hound of Ulster had no problems evading the attack, though he did frown. He felt slower than he should have been, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Gea Bulg's cursed tip struck, running through the undead's chest. It ceased it's struggles, it's body falling apart. At the same time, Chrom had finished with his opponent as well.

Of course, that didn't change the fact there was another newcomer wearing a mask. Thier outfit was mostly blues, with the cape being a much darker shade that it's red interior. However, this stranger's hair was exactly the same the same as Chrom's. However, more loud groans were heard, carried on the wind with the crackling of burning wood. It seems the magical runes hadn't had as much extinguishing fire as he thought they had.

Thankfully, the spell and the resulting blaze hadn't gone without attracting attention, as both Frederick and Robin burst forth from the woods behind them.

"Milord! Milady! Are you hurt?" Frederick shouted, turning his head and giving a swift nod to Cu in thanks, however begrudgingly it might be. The spearman returned the gesture, knowing that he honestly should have just woken the two up anyway. But the present had a tendency to make the actions of the past look extremely foolish.

"Fredrick! Robin!" Lissa cried out in releaf, for now they numbered five, rather than three. Robin's face had already twisted to that of disgust, the undead still marching forward.

"What are those things? Surely such beasts are uncommon in these lands," Robin stated, hand already going toward his blade.

"Some type of undead, but beyond that, I'm uncertain," Cu growled, keeping his position low and loose, ready to strike.

"You've fought these before?" Chrom and Robin both asked, one out of shock and the other looking for any tactical insight that could be gleaned.

"I've fought things like them before, yes, but not these specifically," Cu sighed, before continuing. "The best way to deal with them is cripple the body so it is incapable of movement, before either lighting it on fire or in some cases, removing it's head. These just seem to fall apart when struck with sufficient force. That, and they don't seem to have anyone controlling them."

Robin nodded, already formulating plans based on that information. The fire, was, most likely, to keep them from coming back, something already dealt with. He wasn't sure what Cu meant by 'controlling', though. Did that mean they lacked human level intelligence?

"What do you mean, controlling?" Frederick's eyes seemed to narrow, uncertain about the wording of Cu's comment.

"Necromancers, one's who use magic to control and raise the dead," Cu said, almost growling with distaste, "if you've never heard of them, then let's pray that this is an isolated incident."

Frederick frowned. If such a type of magic existed, he hadn't heard of it. Then again, he hadn't seen anything quite like what was before him. Robin had no memory, and Cu had come from a far off land. Perhaps they brought with them something besides themselves. If that was the case, they would have to deal with it. Later, though.

"What about that man?" Lissa suddenly questioned, causing Frederick to raise an eyebrow.

"He fell out of the same thing that brought those things here. Something tells me he'll be just fine," Cu stated, having lost the strange individual some time ago, though the sounds of combat ment they hadn't left the area quite yet.

"We can worry about that later. We must put these, things, to the blade," Frederick said, more than ready for battle. Chrom and Cu clearly already had the first taste of the enemy, and all that entailed. Neither had truly let their guard down, even for a second.

"If we make for those fortresses, we should be able to hold out. They'll likely try to attack whoever among us is closer," Robin explained, "We can use the old walls to better prepare for an attack." Cu silently nodded, still keeping his eyes on the undead before him. He already had his target marked, one with a blade, shorter and less bulky than the ones wielding the axe. Whoever designed it had cruel intellect, as the curve of the weapon seemed to solely exist to hook in spears. Axe could do that by nature, but these weapons took it to the logical extreme.

Cu followed directions exactly, breaking for one of the two forts, the blademaster moving to intercept his mad dash. Gae Bulg's strike was perfect, slipping past it's guard to find it's chest, running the beast through. While the strike had plenty of power behind it, it wasn't enough. Cu flittered out of range, it's retaliatory strike biting nothing but air.

Frederick finished what Cu could not, lance lifting the undead off the ground as it faded into dust, momentum and weight augmenting the knights formidable strength. Cu's eyes shifted around the battlefield, noticing that Chrom and Robin had completed their objective, as they held one of the forts against several of the monsters. Frederick had already made his move to reinforce the area, leaving Cu the honor of finishing the last one in the area, as most had focused of Chrom and Robin for reasons unknown.

Thankfully, Lissa had been hanging back in the tree line, keeping out of sight, waiting to rush in encase someone got injured. As such, she was the first to notice the reinforcements. Sully and her horse thundered into the clearing, clearly having noticed the destruction created in the area.

"Lissa!" the redhead shouted, getting the smaller shepherd's attention, as her horse came to stop. "What happened here?" Half the forest was on fire, there were these, well, things, roaming about, and if she wasn't mistaken Chrom had already added two more recruits. One with robes, using both blade and spell, and one using a spear, with blue hair in some form of weird ponytail.

"It's complicated," Lissa sighed, lacking almost all other words to simply describe what was happening. "First the ground broke apart, then everything was on fire, some magic eye, thing, appeared in the sky and dropped these out of it." Sully seemed to grumble in annoyance.

"All right, you ashed faced freaks! Which one of ya wants to try my lance on for size first?" Sully bellowed, preparing herself for a charge against one of the nearest enemies. This was stopped, however, be the arrival of a man with blue hair.

"Hold, milady!" his voice rang out, simply confusing Sully about the shear obseratity of the situation. She didn't even know who this guy was. "Life may be long, but attraction is fleeting! Would you leave me in your sweet dust?"

"Leave war to the warriors, dear bird! A beauty such as you need to wage only love," he continued, completely oblivious to the fact that both women in front of him were simply staring at him, wondering exactly what his problem was.

"The hell?" Sully muttered to herself, completely shocked by this point. Where exactly had this person come from?

"Ha! Is the lady intrigued? Of course you are, it's only natural," he voice continued, almost unaware of the stares he was and would already be getting. "I am myth and legend! I am he who strides large across history's greatest stage! The man who puts arch in archer!"

"Then please, by all means, start shooting already!" Cu shouted, trying to avoid turning around a revealing his back to his now second oppenate. Seriously, it could have been taken care of and both him and the red haired newcomer could have reinforced the main fight. Which was still going fairly well, but it was the principle of the thing.

He wondered if this man was the opposite of the archer in red. Personality wise, he was already fairly opposed of the servant of the bow, so he personally prayed that the same wasn't true for his skill. Not that the man was ever much of an archer, for even his arrows were often swords.

Though not liking the fact he was so rudely interrupted, seeing that Sully had already gone off to join the fight, alongside the much smaller blonde, Virion sighed. He supposed he could show off his shooting, if the man was so desperate for his aid. Virion grabbed his bow, before pulling a single arrow from his quiver.

Cu's ears twitched the moment the arrow began cutting through the air. It wasn't aimed at him, but rather, around him. It was aimed toward the undead at his back, an even more disgusting abomination than the others, one with razor sharp claws and a bag over its head. The noise was fainter than what he was used too, but he took comfort that one of his skills seemed to be working, even if it was decreased.

The arrow struck, burrowing it's way into the monster's back. It turned around, facing the one who attacked it from behind, and in that moment, Cu struck. Shifting balance, he turned, Gae Bulg biting deep into the creature. It shrieked in pain, body breaking down into purple matter. Cu smirked, watching as the axe wielding one made an attempt at him, believing Cu unable to counterattack.

It was wrong. Cu's arm twisted, bringing Gae Bulg to bare. Unable to stop it's forward momentum, the beast ran itself through, letting out one final growl before dissolving. Or, that's what would have happened, if another arrow hadn't struck the side of it's face. So, he'd have to actually focus on the arrow, rather than be passive about it.

"I must admit, that was quite impressive," Virion admitted, moving toward the blue haired man.

"Thank you," Cu nodded, "I was worried that you would be the exact opposite of the archer in red, but it seems your skill isn't an aimless boast. However, it seems there is still a battle to be won." Cu's eyes shifted over melee around one of the forts. While it was dying down, it seemed whatever could be considered closest to their leader had stepped forth. It looked larger, and much stronger than the rest, though it's back was hunched and it's march was slow. Darkness leaked from its mouth, it's battleaxe touching the ground, leaving a groove in the scorched earth.

It was clearly more dangerous than the others, content to let it's allies be slaughtered. Thankfully, Lissa was there, patching up wounds as need be, but Chrom was worn down from the run and earlier scrimish, as was Cu himself, even if he didn't want to admit it. Robin was also tired, the run to the fight having already drained his stamina. Fredrick seemed steady, as did Sully, and Lissa was well on her way to recovery, but she had no weapon to defend herself in the first place.

Before Virion could respond, Cu was making his way towards the fort, causing the bluenette to sigh and follow in suit. He finally arrived as the last fell to Fredrick's spear, falling apart as he lifted it off the ground. Another arrow shot through the air, flying toward the misshapen monstrosity. Instead of finding flesh, it meet steel, bouncing off the weapon in it's hand. So, it was actually smart enough to use an axe to block an arrow.

Before anyone else could follow up, it bellowed, hurling the axe in it's hand at Cu. Gae Bulg's shaft clashed with the thrown weapon, bouncing up over his shoulder as Cu let out a hiss of pain. However, it's attack had left it open for assault, as Robin's magic and another arrow from Virrion found its mark.

The combination wasn't enough to bring it down, but Robin's little surprise plan wasn't done yet. Even as it's hand gripped around the blade of the axe handle, Chrom and Sully struck. Lance and sword ran through the monster at the exact same time, finally ending it. It's death bellows echoed through the woods, before falling silent.

"Thank you," Cu said lightly, as Lissa had already begun mending the gash on his shoulder. The pain was still there, but he'd take it over leaving it exposed.

"We need to keep moving," Chrom reluctantly stated, clearly tired like everyone else was. For a moment, Cu wondered why, then remembered. The forest was still on fire.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

That's the second chapter done. Sorry this took so long, I've been busy with school and many other things.


	3. Chapter 3

A few things before I began. I'm still trying to get all of Cu's personality down to pat, seeing as his more carefree attitude isn't something I'm used to writing. Seeing how popular this story is getting, I'm also beginning to look for a beta to help me with things. Also, I wasn't able to diverge as much as I would have liked in this chapter, so I do apologize for that in advance.

And on the matters on other servants, it's a bit of a matter of I can't spoil what might or might not be in the story. I have plans for how things will go, and maybe one or two might show up, but I can't make anything in the way of promises.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Cu had to admit, the city around him was honestly quite beautiful, gleaming buildings reflecting the sun's rays, the main castle was a distance away, and he actually hadn't gone near it. He was unsurprised by that decision, and while one might consider it rude, he took no offense. Robin the amensica clearly would have an uphill battle as it stood, and politically, it certainly would appear risky, trusting a man that could be faking his allegiance and true intentions.

Wait tell that paid off, then it would be safe to introduce him. Honestly, Chrom seemed more politically savvy than Cu ever was.

"Chrom will apologize for this afterwards," Sully said, mistaking Cu's glancing toward the castle as some form of regret, or at the very least, annoyance. Cu merely laughed to himself.

"It's perfectly fine," Cu grinned, reverting back to simple chuckling as a few gave him weird glances at his sudden outburst, "it's politics, after all."

"So they still have that where you are from?" Sully teased, "nothing simple like the strongest one leads?" Cu laughed at that. Oh how he wished it was that simple, but it was never that simple.

"We had a queen start a war against Ulster over a golden cow," Cu thought back, why exactly had she wanted that cow. Was it more than just because? He never did ask her, and honestly didn't care. "We have politics, and politics don't seem to change."

"Really, over a single cow that just happened to be gold colored. That just seems stupid," Sully crossed her arms, as Cu chuckled sadly.

"I can guarantee, wars have been started over less," Cu may have liked fighting, but needless conflict like that simply annoyed him.

"Speaking out which," Sully spoke up, changing the topic away from the somewhat depressing one, "have you seen Ruffles? I think he's run off somewhere."

"I thought I saw him over that way, Cu nudged his head to the left. "I think he's looking for any information on the archer in red I mentioned." Sully frowned.

"I've never heard of a person going by that title before." Sully, "Let me guess, a friend of yours?"

"Not really. We fought against each other few times, and I really didn't get to see much of his archery in any of them," Cu grinned, thinking back on the white haired heroic spirit. Unlike most of the combatants in the fight for the Holy Grail, Cu hadn't figured out his identity, and only knew he was fairly young. "He used plenty of swords though, and I have seen him using a blade to replace an arrow."

"Interesting," Sully rubbed her chin, trying to imagine the strength needed for such a task. "So he was an enemy of yours."

"Of circumstance, really, though I wouldn't be surprised if fate had it's own hand in the matter," Cu shrugged "It's a shame we never got to finish any of our fights, and any ever greater one that I was forced to drop out."

The Holy Grail war was a tournament in a sense, and he honestly didn't what to explain the fact that he had died. Twice now. Impossible didn't really cover something like that. He entire past was a can of worms he wasn't willing to open. Sure, he could explain certain parts, but the whole was too risky.

"He was honestly the one I learned the least about. Even the whole 'Archer in Red' was something I came up with," Cu admitted, hearing a disgruntled 'What!' "Found him, by the way."

"That was impressive!" Sully managed to squeeze out, before falling apart into a howling fit of laughter. Virion was not amused, and honestly seemed somewhat deflated at that.

"Ah, there you are, Sully," a familiar voice stated from behind them. It looked like their wayward group of companions had finally made their return. Seeing as they still remained a full number, Robin remaining as wide eyed as before.

"Lord Chrome," Cu bowed in slightly teasing manor, only for Frederick to shoot him an annoyed look.

"We're heading to the Shepherds Garrison just north of the city. We'll take a day or two to rest up and gather supplies," Chrom ordered, seemingly stern. "We have mission."

"Really? Then don't keep us waiting!" Sully said, clearly ready for whatever task was ahead.

"It's a diplomatic mission. We need to meet and if possible, discuss an alliance between Ylisse and Ferox," Chrom started, crossing his arms. An alliance? That meant one thing. That Ylisse was preparing for war. Maybe an ally would help cow Plegea's forces? One could hope, but time would be of the essence on this one.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The outpost was a bit on the small side, Cu decided, as they approached. It was a fort, that was without doubt, with unguarded walls, but could hold a force of fifty to one hundred with some difficulty. However, the walls were unmanned, with the gate open.

Inside was much more interesting, crates of supplies, weapons, and food were placed in odd places, without any thought to a system. He wouldn't be surprised if Robin would come up with something at a later date, but for now, he could tell the man was fairly tired.

"Here we are!" Lissa declared joyfully, snapping Cu out of his thoughts, his eyes shifting around briefly. Chrom and Frederick had left them, likely to either talk strategy or too nap, even though he didn't see Frederick as the type to nap. Sully had as well, and Virion was somewhere. "The Shepherds Garrison! Go ahead and make yourself at home!"

Cu had already began looking for a bed to sleep in, looking around for any sign. He was about to go looking himself, before he heard footsteps, beyond the two originally in the room.

"Lissa, my treasure! Are you alright?" this voice was unfamiliar, and full of concern as he watched a blonde haired girl came running into the room, stopping just short of tackle hugging the princess. It looked like he was sticking around for this after all.

"Oh, hey Maribelle!" Lissa returned in kind, quite happy to see her friend. He could see this Maribelle's face cringing slightly, possible at her lack of protocol.

"'Oh hey' yourself! I sprouted fourteen grey hairs fretting over you!" Maribelle sounded appalled by Lissa's carefree attitude. Meanwhile, Cu stayed where he was, honestly enjoying the little reunion.

"Aw, you worry too much. I can handle a battle or two!" Lissa smiled cheerfully, "though I could go without the bugs or the bear barbecue." Cu faked being wounded by such a statement, even though he wasn't entirely sure what a barbecue was.

"The bear was good eating!" Cu somewhat shouted, and he could tell Lissa rolled her eyes. Maribelle seemed slightly aghast at the remark.

"Hey squirt! Where's Chrom?" one of the people originally in the room spoke up, who clearly hadn't heard about shirts, or armor covering the chest, for that matter. "I bet he had a hard time there without teach and his ol' axe!"

"Oh, so your 'Teach' now, Vaike, is that it?" Lissa giggled, somewhat teasing the muscular blonde. It flew completely over the man's head.

"Ha! Never doubt the Vaike!" he paused, face scrunching together in thought. "Wait, was that an insult?" An interesting group of soldiers Chrom had managed to gather. Of course, he knew better than to judge anyone by their appearances.

"Beg pardon, but when might we see the captain?" the one who spoke, like Vaike, had originally been in the room. Her hair was brown, quite lengthy, and her armor was some type of pink shade, a strange choice.

"Poor Sumia. She's simple been beside herself with concern," Maribelle said, leading to Cu to raise an eyebrow. Interesting. So Lissa wasn't the only one with someone waiting for her to get home.

"Aw, Sumia, it's so sweet that worry about Chrom," Lissa's smile was authentic, not even a hint of teasing in her voice.

"Worry? Well, I," Sumia stammered, faint pink dusting her cheeks appearing clear as day were he stood. "He's our captain and our crown prince. Of course I'd worry." It wasn't really passable. Even if it was true, it was clear other emotions were in play.

"So, who are the strangers?" Vaike asked, as Cu sighed, forcing himself off the wall. He should have retreated to a bed while he had the chance.

"No one's stranger than you, Vaike," Lissa was again smiling, proving to have a much more barbed tongue than Cu originally imagined. He had to chuckle internally at that. "But allow me to introduce you to Robin and Cu!" She justered to each of them in turn.

"They both just joined the Shepherds," Lissa explained, "Chorm's made Robin our new tactician, and." She paused, if struggling to find out exactly how to put what Cu was even there for to begin with.

"I'm extra muscle," Cu stated bluntly, crossing his arms, in an attempt to look intimidating, but he wasn't taking himself too seriously. He didn't think anyone bought it, either.

"Oh yeah? Can any of them do this?" from Vaike's mouth echoed a loud blech. Cu grinned. Not all of life's challenges were solved on the fields of battle, and neither were all challenges of warriors.

His blech caused Vaike to pause, and turned Maribelle's scolding expression to one of terror. Vaike let out a barking laugh, deep within his gut.

"I have to admit, you have me beat there!" He continued to chuckle to himself.

"Thank you," Cu bowed, slightly. "Regardless, it's nice to meet you."

"Seconded," Robin nodded, "it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"That was abhorret!" Maribelle still seemed to be disgusted at both of them. "Must you baseborn oafs pollute even the air with your buffoonery?" She turned around with a humpf, almost like a child, before stomping off. Or at least, Cu was convinced that was what she was trying to do.

"Don't take it to heart, you two. Maribelle warms to people slowly," Sumia explained.

"Or burns too quickly," Lissa added, giggling. "But yeah, just give her time." Cu nodded, taking the advice. Honestly, he didn't plan to push. If she didn't want to interact with someone, no amount of pushing was going to cause her to do so. Cu's ears pricked to the sound of footfalls behind him, with the lack of heavy armor accompanying it meaning it was a stranger, or Chrom.

"Ah! Captain! You've returned!" Sumia was gleeful at the matter, and paid no heed where she was going, as her feet slipped out from under her, sending spray of papers into the air. Her face impacted the stone floor, causing Cu to briefly panic. Sumia's body was bend at an abnormal angle, with most of her weight resting on her head. Easily enough to kill a person, if not cripple them for the rest of their life.

Strangely, nobody seemed to respond in an appropriate fashion. Someone had just snapped their neck, and it was being treated like a regular occurrence. Cu could feel his eyes widen as Sumia pushed herself back onto her feet, and brushing off her armor.

"Sumia! Are you alright?" Chrom asked, showing at least some level of concern. "Those boots of yours again?" The last bit seemed to be a conceded sigh, as if he already expected the answer.

"No! I mean, yes!" Sumia stammered, struggling to answer the questions in order, before letting out a sigh of defeat. Honestly, Cu was certain she wasn't alright. She just gave herself a face full of stone. That should earn her some type of visit to a healer.

"All right then, listen, everybody: in the morning, we'll be marching to Regna Ferox," Chrom said, commanding voice taking over once again. Cu nodded. He'd gotten some information on the road. These Feroxian's, or whatever it was they might be called, sounded like people he would enjoy having a drink or a fight with. Both at the same time would be even better.

"Under normal circumstances, the exalt would request such aid in person, but given recent events, the people might worry should my sister leave the capital," Chrom explained. "As such, the task has been given to us."

"This mission is strictly voluntary. So if any-"

"I volunteer!" Lissa interrupted, cutting her brother off with a big grin on her face. Cu wasn't surprised in the slightest, despite her poor handling of the first night. Hopefully, experience would prove to be an effective teacher.

"Me too! You'll be needin' ol' Teach along for such a delicate mission!" Vaike's grin was wide, easily filling up his face.

"First official mission? Why would I miss that?" Cu shrugged, "Honestly, it sounds like fun." Well, the diplomacy part didn't sound that entertaining, but it would be nice to get to know his newfound companions on the road.

"I'll go as well," another voice added, causing Cu to whip around, looking for the source of the newfound voice. How was there someone in the room that he hadn't noticed yet? Some form of presence concealment? "What, I've been here the whole time!" Cu still couldn't find the source of the voice, even with his skills. Was he really getting that sloppy? Or was this guy somehow a member of the assassin class?

"I, um," Sumia stammered, causing Cu to frown. That didn't sound confident.

"Yes, Sumia?" the bluenette asked, quite calmly, in fact.

"It's just that… I'm not sure I'm ready for proper mission yet," the brunette's shoulders seemed slumped and defeated. "I'll probably just get in the way." Lacking confidence was one thing, but this might be something else.

"Well, you could stay behind the main group, and if battle is met, just watch and learn?" Chrom suggested, clearly aware of the girl's lack of confidence, and offering up a decent solution. "Your choice, of course. But some lessons can only be learned on the field of battle." To that, Cu had to agree, and probably the best way to help with the issues at hand.

"W-well, if you think it's wise, Captain," Sumia stammered slightly, but willing to go along with the idea.

"Just stay by me, and you'll be fine," Chrom said, completely unaware of the slight blush and her swift agreement. At least, Cu hoped he was unaware. If Chrom was, he'd still be in the running for being dense, but it was better than any alternative.

But it was time for him to find a place to sleep. Sure, he could stay up longer, but why waste the chance?

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Cu hadn't woken up until morning, rested, but quite ravenous. It was, admittedly, a swift meal, but he could hunt on the road, and had a small pack with a few rations. It was small enough to be placed on his hip, much rather than his back, where he kept Gae Bulg.

It was quite nice that they actually got two additional members. Stahl was a brunette with green armor, and was actually quite tall. He was a knight, much like Sully and Frederick, but his first impression was that he was a bit more laid back. The second would apparently be catching up in time and was a mage by the name of Miriel. He didn't personally remember meeting her, seeing as she told Shahl of both Robin and his existence, but it likely was passed down from word of mouth.

Still, they were making great time, at least as far as Cu was concerned. Sure, he wasn't sure of how far they needed to go, but the countryside was peaceful. Ylisse certainly had a charm to it. One wouldn't expect raiders or anything else out of the ordinary, but he still kept an eye out. Of course, this was a clearly heavily armed group, and only fools would try their hand. Personally, he was looking for places were he might be able to scrounge up some extra food.

It was the sound of a stream that caught his attention first, ears honing in on the noise. While the stream sounded a bit too shallow to fish in, but it trickling of water over stone was relaxing.

A shame it came with the smell of rancid meat. Cu's hand shifted over Gae Bulg, pulling the spear from it's resting place. Not only was the scent out of place, it was also one he knew.

"Cu, what wrong?" Lissa wasn't the first to notice his sudden change in demeanor.

"They're back," the bluenette growled out, looking at the purple skinned monsters with disdain. A dozen in number, give or take, with five on their side of the bridge, the rest not far. Simply put, they were outnumbered.

"Gods, have the Risen spread this far?" Chrom gritted his teeth at the development. Cu shared the sentiment. He'd hoped whatever happened last time was an isolated incident, but it didn't seem to be. He did take note of the change in name. Personally, he kind of liked it. A bit smoother on the tongue than undead or abomination.

"We needed a name for the new threat, so the council gave us one," Fredrick preemptively explained. "And they didn't seem too keen on what Cu called them."

Robin already seemed to be formulating a plan, if his facial expression was anything to go by. However, they had already been noticed.

"Move towards the hill on our left flank. Let's try and draw those two away from the bridge and the other out of its fortifications," Robin ordered, pointing toward the high ground with his sword in hand. One risen was brought low swiftly by the charge of Frederick and Sully, trampling both it and it's guard into pieces. Robin's maneuver was an easy success, drawing the risen from their defensible positions. So far, the other five on the opposite end hadn't moved yet, meaning the fight, much rather than being a twelve on nine, was confined to a six vs nine.

"Cu, Vaike!" Robin bellowed, and Cu's red eyes flicked around, searching for the brunette. He could see why, darting forward, intercepting the spear with Gae Bulg. Vaike had gotten himself into a two on one, somehow, and the others were busy. Cu struck again and again, wincing slightly as it actually managed to land a light hit before it crumbled beneath his onslaught.

He could tell it was minor, but he'd have it checked later. Vaike, once the pressure of a second foe was removed, had fared better than he was before, but Lissa was already making her way over to heal the man.

Cu kept the small blonde covered, preparing for an attack against the most vulnerable member of their party. Without show of pity or mercy, one of the risen tried to take advantage of the movement, only to be punished by Robin's magic. The thunder spell wasn't enough to bring the risen down, but before Cu could kill it, fire erupted from it's body. Magical flame burned away at rotten flesh, crumpling and fading away.

He only spared a glance, but he caught sight of the newcomer, clearly the mage Stahl had spoken of. Knowledge given to him by the Holy Grail in the fifth war had told him of the presumption of mages, and she fit the bill. Long cloak that honestly looked like it was a robe, and a pointed hat. Her glasses seemed a bit out of place, but helped give off an air of knowledge.

"I'm fine. It can be saved tell after the battle. Others are going to need it more," Cu waved Lissa off as the healer tried to turn her attention to him, but ultimately nodded. So far, things were dying down, and the remainder of the Risen had yet to move across the bridge. Where they ignorant of their allies plight, or was something else at work? Still, it didn't take a genus to figure out the next part of Robin's plan. They had a clear ranged advantage, with the dark haired man's thunder magic, the newfound power of fire, and Virion's bow.

Channeling the Risen into a choke point and having them break against their superior defenses was going to be the order, and Cu was not disappointed. Frederick and Chrom would make up the first line, and if they became wounded, Cu and Vaike would fill in. But the moment they stepped onto the bridge, the Risen swarmed. There had been a sixth in the back, one that reminded the bluenette of the one they encountered the first night, while two others had been lurking just out of sight, bursting over the hill.

While they could only come two at a time, Chorm was forced back, lacking the heavy armor that Frederick used to absorb the worst of the hits. Taking his que, Cu leapt into the fray, quite literally, jumping over the prince. Gae Bulg was a flash in his hands, puncturing the risen's head with a single strike, even as another took it's place. The crimson spear was brought into a defensive stance, catching the axe along the spear's haft. He smirked, in spite of the force being applied to his weapon, using Gae Bulg's length to sweep the risen's feet out from under it, before quickly thrusting forward, puncturing where it's heart would have been.

It tried to grab onto the spear in it's unlife, but fire purged it from existence. And once again, it was the largest that remained for last. By that point, the plan was simple. Swarm it until it was once again dead.

Cu had learned his lesson from the last time he fought one like this, and quickly closed distance. A throwing axe was not suited for close quarters, no matter the brute strength. Gae Bulg punctured into it's stomach, swiftly being withdrawn to block an overhead swing. He managed to hold the weapon in place, allowing Chrom to take advantage of the opening in it's guard. Falchion came in from below, cutting out a massive chunk of it's flesh. Both Robin and the new mage followed up the attack with a combined blast of lightning and flame.

Whatever binding holding it together finally gave way, turning it into another pile of purple sludge.

Cu hoped that was the last surprise on their journey.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I'm so sorry this took so long. I had finals, and then I was out of town for a few days without my laptop, and given my spelling track record, writing part of this on my phone was a bad idea.

I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you in the next chapter.


End file.
